"They're not going to release me. And once I kind of understood that, I kind of figured, well, if anything's going to happen, it's going to happen with me," Saito said. "I'm going to have to do something pretty risky and gutsy."

Cab Driver Tip Leads to Arrest of 'Violent Psychopath'

A man who escaped from a psychiatric hospital in Hawaii, flew to Maui and then hopped on a plane to San Jose was captured by sheriff's deputies in Stockton Wednesday morning thanks to a tip from an alert cab driver, according to sheriff's officials. Robert Handa reports.

(Published Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017)

So he says he devised a plan to escape.

"I decided to run away and come to the mainland and to live as long as I can on the money that I had in the community without getting into any kind of trouble," he continued.

Saito made it all the way to Mineta San Jose International Airport, via Maui, before the hospital realized he was missing. Police finally arrested him when his taxi driver recognized him and delivered him to officers.

"I can live in a community without doing drugs, without hurting anyone and prove without a doubt I did it," Saito said.

"Three years of substance abuse," he said. "I actually snapped that night. I lost it, killing the woman, stabbing her to death. I regret it every day. I pray for her every day. I believe the family I offended has the right to take my life, but no one else. I owe them something I cannot repay."

Saito would not say who helped him with his escape. The hospital is investigating.